A Gleam in the Dark
by Lanzy94
Summary: "Darkness was all she could see now as she continues walking in it. Each step she took echoes her position, a vast place in a black, or so at least as she tried to look for the stars straight up from what seemed as a never-changing obscurity. Philippines doesn't remember where she was, nor the fact how she got there." Philippines' dream taking her far more into her memories.


**Hello guys! So anyways... this is my first story! It's also the supposed contest entry for a deviantArt writing contest I joined... I thought of adding this as well to my FF account since it's kinda empty...**

**I hope you guys enjoy! For the deviantArt link... just type the same title, my username and "deviantart" and presto! the dA one will show the references and more stuff I wrote.**

**OC!Philippines: Lanzy94 does not own Hetalia...**

**Lanzy94: On with the show~!**

* * *

Darkness

Darkness was all she could see now as she continues walking in it. Each step she took echoes her position, a vast place in a black, or so at least as she tried to look for the stars straight up from what seemed as a never-changing obscurity. Philippines doesn't remember where she was, nor the fact how she got there, only knowing that she was in the darkness consuming the very use of sight, and thankfully feeling around to notice she was wearing clothes.

_'I just hate it when I'm in one of those "Birthday Suit" dreams' _Shivering from that last dream she had which involved a drunk Ate Nesia and Timor Leste's birthday, she was pleased to feel her feet, thankful that wherever she was, she was wearing sandals after feeling around to notice the toe strap and the click of the heels as it hits the floor. Resonating a sound that was slowly dissipating after each step forward, she felt happy to know that wherever she was, she was slowly getting there.

Noticing a light from the side of what appears as stone, she strode more towards it until she knelt beside the small gleam in the darkness. Feeling the illumination unto her skin, her fingers wrapped around the overhead handle of the lantern, lighting up more of the stony wall. Pacing backwards to see more of the stony wall, she began marveling at the structure before her.

Stretching so much to rival its height, the wall seemed to go up and side to side indefinitely, just as far as what the light she had could garner. The wall stood strong, leaving the imprint of never faltering in the blackness, and for Philippines as well. Walking towards what appeared as the gate to the wall, her breath clutched her throat in a chokehold as her assumption was correct.

_'The great walled city of Intramuros' _Mouth agape from finding it in her dream, the city behind the walls gave her mixed feelings: some good, some bad. Steeling herself after the surprise, she pushed the gates open, to show not a city, but a stoned pathway filled with more pathways, each interconnecting to many or none at all. Twists and turns marked the very structure of the great labyrinth inside the walls, she knew that much as she took a pathway by random. Thankful for at least a slightly star-lit nightfall over the maze accompanied with the lantern she held at her right, Philippines began taking in her clothing.

A purple top with a neckline just above the chest area and the sleeves flow down until her wrists, both adorned with rosaries wrapped around them. The top stops from her waist, where a dress flows down, halting just an inch before it meets the ground. The dress itself, detailed with black and purple stripes, vertically lined along the hem of the dress. A laced black shawl draped over her shoulder in where it knots above her stomach area.

Using her left hand as a basis, her hair was in a rather slightly messy bun with some of her bangs and fringes loose. Continuing down her neck, she felt nothing there, but rather she felt something _"should"_ be there, as though a part of herself was not with her at that ensemble of a _"Maria Clara"_she had on.

Contemplating from that feeling of lacking, something in her peripheral vision piqued her. Looking at that pathway lit by some unknown light, Philippines was in complete disarray. There in that stony pathway was an image of her and Spain. Sweat dropped from her face as the image plays out like an actual happening.

_There she was with a candle in each hand and a slightly bigger candle balanced on her head as she flicks her wrists in circular motions. Her younger self was in full focus on her vast array of playful skips, steps of finesse and the trailing of the light dancing from her hands. As the music ends and the young Philippines landed her leap and pose well, the crowds of many applauded there, yet she knew that the man watching in front with the Spanish officials was the man she wanted to impress._

_"What do you think, Sir?" Asks the man in clear as day Spanish, anticipation grew as both official and Philippines awaited his reply._

_"She was amazing" Spain said with approval played on his lips._

_Relieved from that, little Philippines was happy._

As the image fades away revealing only a dead-end, she clutched her heart for what had shown her. Pacing back into her set direction, she awaits herself to prepare for more of the memories awaiting her in the maze, already expecting the worse. Dead ends shrouded by her memories flashed before her after walking through the stone labyrinth, taking into account of not being disoriented by the emotions that latched itself on those blasts from the past. One memory deterred her resolve hard.

_Sneaking out of the great walls was a cakewalk now for the Filipina, yet that mattered little to her now as she rushes past the crowds of people, desperate to reach her destination. Praying to God that she would not be too late, she runs with her heart practically vibrating and her breathing hitched high up her mouth as she hears the sounds of an order told and a wave of aghast ringing her ears. She reached her destination with the heads of the masses down, many praying with rosaries accompanied with many tears and whimper covered._

_She was too late. Hearing the cries of one boy practically tearing up his eyes from the scene before him, she rushed to the child._

_"No more tears, no more heavy heart. Let their lives and others' show us that we cannot be dissuaded about being free, for they would not want all their sacrifices to be in vain, let this day and many more be stepping-stones for greater things to happen for the people and for the land." Wiping away the boy's tears with her thumb after the masses dispersed with anguish weighed upon them, she would forever remember how he would tell his sisters of what they had missed and his little brother of what they must do, the very same little brother that would soon be killed himself for his people in the same land as the three were… in the land of Bagumbayan, in which she was also a witness to._

Using her own advice in her memories to herself now in the maze, Philippines knew that she could not falter now. Prepping herself once more and continuing her walk, she began to hear a light rush of water from her chosen path straight ahead, she followed the shallow rush of water as though in a small stream and saw what appeared as the center of the maze by the sound of the marbled fountain in at its center of the center.

Resting on the edge of the marbled watering structure, she plays her hand in the clear water, finding the coolness of the fountain refreshing after the physical and emotional strain the maze of memories had given her. As the ruffles from her hand's work in whisking the water distorted the reflection of the pool, she finds herself focused on the image formed on her reflection. Although it showed her face, it showed a different look.

_Her hair billowed from the northern winds as she steadies her sword upon the man she had defeated, the enemy of all enemies, the key to either freedom or continued slavery, and she had finally taken him down into submission, ready to strike the final blow._

_Spain himself, amazed at how she handled herself in the fight, showing great mastery in not only one blade, but two as her strikes and attacks were still as graceful as like the dances she had done in his presence. Propping himself up with his elbows and leaning at a rock with the last of his spent energy, Spain knew he could not escape._

_Her legs athwart on his stomach, her once soft tender brown eyes now cut through the moment like her blades upon his now broken axe. He knew he's done for. Closing his eyes, he heard the hand jutting downwards and clanked at the impact of the strike. Feeling no sense of pain after the strike, he opened his eyes to tears falling unto his face and the blade stuck just half an inch above his head._

_"Philippines" he muttered as her eyes softened up once more accompanied by the tears that fell and trickled down her face. Getting up from her position, she walks up away to reach for a flag of her land._

_"I'd rather have no more blood spilled in my land, both ally and enemy… No more." Looking back at the fallen Spaniard, her eyes gleamed as she faced the sun shining, knowing very well that she had won._

_"For God! People! Nature! Country!" She cries out as to pronounce her victory and to finally end to start a new beginning. A smile began to form her lips of her overwhelming happiness, happiness that would not last long_.

As the memory fades and her reflection returns, Philippines began to feel of a quake happening. Quickly getting up from, she grabs the lantern and quickly runs off as the stony walls start breaking and compacting. Running more and more to God knows where within the Labyrinth, she felt the walls start to tighten around her. Feeling even less and less running space, she could almost make out the exit of the maze. Luck for her was not on her side as she trips a few feet away from the exit, her lantern skidded of ahead of her.

Desperately trying to reach for the exit with her hand as though it was a handle of safety, she closed her eyes for the utmost worse until she felt someone grab hold of her hand. As by the mere contact, the walls disappear into flakes of light as Philippines opened her eyes to find herself in a lit pathway in the darkness.

Looking up to see her savior, a girl, around 8 years old, surprised Philippines to happen to find her in her dream. Adorned in a simple turquoise dress with designs at the hem and a small golden circlet enclosing her head was the child's attire. Standing up from her place from the floor, Philippines tried to ask the girl who she was or where they were only to be silenced by the girl's finger unto her lips, indicating to remain silent.

Philippines' companion only led her more into the pathway lined with golden mirrors adorning the walls of the path. Walking along hand to hand with the child, Philippines looked at all the intricately designed golden mirrors and took notice of her dressing being different.

With her hair billowing from a simple ponytail and a halo of white jasmines adorned on her head, Philippines saw herself in a beautiful flowing blue gown. Gold designs as intricate as the mirrors lined the edges of the dress until it hid the intricately designed sandals she was wearing. Her arms, adorned with golden bangles and armlets and an equally beautiful golden necklace as the finishing touch.

Amazed by her clothing, she inadvertently touched the surface of the mirror's reflection. An image began to form, something that sparked Philippines even more so as she doesn't seem to recall this memory at all.

_A young Philippines was in tribal clothing similar to her little companion, as she held up her serpent designed blade unto her younger version of Ate Nesia. The eldest sister quickly dodged it with a parry of her kris. Taking steps back, both of their breaths hitched as a younger version of Malaysia announced that their practice session was done for the day._

_"Great work out!" Her ate announced confidently. Indeed, she was getting better in her blades mastery as much as her ability as a "babaylan" was getting better._

_"Hey, what's up?" asked their third sister, growing worried from the concerned look on Philippines' face._

_"It's just…" afraid whether she should tell them, Philippines or rather Tawalisi was hesitant at her decision._

_"You know you can tell us, we're you 'ates' remember" A smug look played upon Malaysia's or rather Malacca's face as she played with the word 'ate'._

_"Hey! You're not my 'ate', I'm a bit older than you! Tell her Ate!" completely diverting her fears from the 'offense' done by Malacca, Tawalisi outright put Indonesia or rather Majapahit on the spot of her and Malacca's never-ending 'whose older' argument._

_"Uhmmm… well… I…" Completely taken by surprise from the request, Majapahit did what she was best in keeping her family happy._

_"WHO WANTS A HUG!" grabbing both her sisters, she put them in a lock down embrace._

_"Ate! You're not answering me!" "Get off kakak!" was all Temasek, Brunei and Timor could hear from the bone crushing "family moment" Majapahit was trying to ensue. Giving up and smiling at the hug, Tawalisi decided to enjoy the moment, knowing that whatever she had predicted in her skills as a babaylan were possibly just ruses._

"I was wrong to think that those prophecies of the white men were wrong." Looking back at the image before it fades into her reflection once more, she looked at her companion with the same look of thinking. Deciding to use this opportunity to see more of what she had long forgotten, she reached for the next mirror, having a strange feeling of nostalgia when she saw the image form.

_A full festivity was in full swing as the people of the land enjoyed the occasion today. The newly wedded couple were together at the side, seeing the various dancers and artisans come alive in their dance and play of the sticks that wish to snap at the feet if ever a misstep happens._

_The couple even decided to join the festivities to show their happiness today with even the commoners as they danced the day away, a rare event to happen at times in the land. The day could not have gotten better for the young Philippines._

_"It seems you are having fun" the young man around her age conversed he sits next to her. Apparently it did._

_"Of course, I mean, who wouldn't be? It's a marriage after all" Smiling at that idea, the young male laughed at that obvious assumption; his attire was in his best as did the girl's._

_"I mean… we had a beautiful ceremony too didn't we Brunei?" Smiling at the boy with a slight pink on her cheeks, the Bruneian only rivaled her blush accompanied with stutters and in the end, a small reply._

_"Yes, we did" Settling with that answer, he turned to face his wife as they completely ignored the cacophony of the celebrations below. Standing upright, Brunei took her by the hand and even without the poles and with only the music below as their basis, they danced as thought their feet where being attacked by the poles only hidden from sight. Tawalisi was enjoying their own little "festivity" as they danced around and around, their steps beating unto the ground as they cadenced with the music below._

_When the music stopped, both looked at one another, panting from the rigorous steps they undertook. Held onto each other's arms, they closed the gap in an embrace that seemed to last ages. Tawalisi could slightly make out the whisper Brunei told her before kissing her on the cheek and returning back to the celebrations below._

"Never forget who we were, who we are and who we will be." Philippines muttered his line as she felt her cheeks being draped by unconsciously done tears. She knew why she was sad, yet her body knew more than sadness from what that image had shown her. Philippines looked to see the girl weeping with her as well. Crouching down to the child's level, both wiped the tears of the other, keeping both spirits up as they face the biggest mirror at the end of the hallway.

It was a beautifully designed mirror shaped like the sun, with three stars adorning some of its more prominent rays. Steadying herself unto the reflection before her, she breathed in before making a contact with the glass using her fingers.

And from there, all hell broke loose on her mind.

As though someone just played fast forward unto her memories as the images and voices flashed by her like bullets. Flashes of images of the Spanish friars, government officials, people dying, suffering, tragedies and all that flowed into her mind. Voiced rumbled her.

_"These Filipinos are nothing more than the carabao they accompany in the fields!"_

_"For GOD, GOLD and GLORY!"_

_"We must put censorship upon foreign works to keep the natives from knowing too much!"_

_"Ignorance is bliss, is it not?... Let's keep it that way!"_

Philippines shrieked in agony as the memories and voices inflict her with so much pain. Hands made from pure darkness start closing in on Philippines as she had her guard down. The hands start trickling their way towards her. The companion tries to shake Philippines into stopping the memory short, but to no avail. The images and voices continue to hurt her. More blood, tears, agony and death flashed as the voiced grew worse.

_"To destroy the culture, we must first destroy the people's history!"_

_"Why must they bother knowing what we teach them?! They just need to know the prayers and that is it!"_

_"These Filipinos are so indolent than before!? What happened to our natives?, I knew they were indolent the very moment our people came to 'save' these people!"_

_"The second way to destroy the culture is to make their women ignorant, so the cycle continues."_

_"Insignificant 'indio'! How dare you! After what we have done to save you from damnation!"_

Standing firm in front of the suffering Philippines, the girl steadied herself in front of the rush of black hands, coming in for the kill. With one giant stomp, the little girl roared a shout so loud even Philippines couldn't hear as the sun mirror she held cracked. The mirrors lining the walls explode from the scream, shards of glass glisten forming into balls radiating its own light as it pierces through the darkness like arrows, disorienting the darkness that tried to consume them.

Thinking quickly Philippines, recovered from the time during the destruction of the mirrors, took the child's hand as they pass the now broken sun mirror frame and enter what lied behind it.

Opening the gate to what was on the other side of the frame was a beautiful garden in daylight. Walking along the luscious greenery of the garden, the little companion led her to a pond by the hand in where she showed Philippines another wardrobe change, unknowing in her part.

Her hair, loose and wavy, fell until her back with her usual wispy side bangs and fringes that hung loose slightly above the shoulders. Small white jasmine petals sprinkle her long hair as it gives off a sweet fragrance like what grew in the garden. A modernized yellow _"baro't saya"_dress with prominent shoulder padding with the sleeves that hung above the elbows. From the plain yellow top it starts having black stripes going horizontally from where the dress starts.

The dress itself, designed with intricate flowers at the hemline of the dress of different colors and only reached above the ankles, which revealed blue bead strapped wooden sandals. Her right wrist was accessorized with a wooden rosary bracelet and a stunning white pearl necklace complimented her neck. Overall she felt herself in these clothes than the clothes she had before.

"Well the garden looks a lot better than the creepy labyrinth and mirrors, let's just hope it stays thi - "  
Looking to see if the little girl was alright, she saw her face contorted into seriousness as she looks at one of the garden arches that extended to another part of the garden. Philippines looked to see what she was viewing only to be struck with disarray once more.

_"You lied to me!" smashing her hands upon his desk, Alfred looks up to see a steaming Filipina._

_"How did you find out" Covering his mouth as instantly as he muttered his statement, Philippines looked at the man who she though would help her after her 'Independence' from Spain._

_"How could you! My people have spent the last 330 years under Spanish rule only for you to have bought us!?" throwing him the crumbled papers, he unravelled it to show the letter she got from Spain himself, telling her the fact and a copy of the Treaty of Paris._

_"I was a victim too you know! I was at war with Spain the same time as you! The treaty was made and since his boss couldn't pay for the damaged due to his loss, my boss made a compromise!" Speaking out in anger in front of the Filipina, which took this as the time to get even madder, America told off his reasons._

_"Compromise!? I am not some object that can be easily sold! You are nothing more than a colonizer, even worse than Spain!" Quickly turning away, and praying that her quick movement made her braid flick him in the face, she retreats from America's presence._

_"WTH! I saved you! I'm the hero!" Staggered at her actions, America leaned more on his desk to express his anger more as well._

_"No America!" Shutting up the American into continuing his ramble even more, Philippines faced him once more._

_"You are not the hero, you are nothing more than a colonizer, and even if it means that I have to go to war again… then so be it" hitching her breath, Philippines began striding away, preparing herself for another war._

"I mean, he practically threw away all my people have worked hard for, wouldn't you get mad?" Looking at her little companion for an answer, the child nodded diligently at that idea. Walking away from that memory, Philippines was startled at one point by the sound of bombs exploding. Knowing exactly what part of this garden of memories she was now in, she led the scared child and ran as fast she can until they left that part where even Philippines just truly wants to forget.

World War 2

Screams of women being raped in garrisons, people walking the infamous march, executions by swords and bayonets ring her ears, all of these Philippines could hear and see at the sides, yet she needed to past it, to never want to relive those memories. Looking back, she saw the garden deteriorating as well. The grass started to wither and fires struck many of the trees, sides of the road and even whole archways were now bomb markings.

Reaching the gate of the exit, the destruction of the garden was getting worse and worse by the second. Grabbing unto the gate, the little girl finally pulled both of them onto the other side, only watching now the destruction that was happening.

For Philippines, she saw something in the middle of the garden that took her by surprise. It was an image well-known to her during that time, something that made her forget at times of the anger she had.

_Running past the debris of the battlefield and the soldiers being tended by slightly more recovered soldiers and nurses, she reaches the sandy beaches, where she saw him. Seeing as she saw him, he looked back at the tired Filipina._

_"I told you I'd return didn't I?" Giving her a soft grin, he, surprised at how fast she closed the gap between them as he felt her lips unto him. Feeling the thanks from the intimate contact, he returned the kiss with a 'you're welcome'. Parting from one another, America didn't really expect that quick punch to the gut, as he clenched it and knelt in front of the doer of the action._

_"Whatcha doin' that for!" Reverting back to his childish self, Philippines crouched down next to America to meet him eye to eye._

_"That" Pointing to her left fist which gave a mean left gut blow "was for leaving me like that and being late!"_

_"… sorry?" Was all America could think of._

_"the one before" Pointing to her lips, signalling their kiss "Was for keeping your promise"_

_"and this" Kissing him softly on the forehead "was to say thank you for everything."_

_Helping him stand upright, she yelped when he grabbed hold of her shoulders and as clear as he spoke, she knew he was telling the truth._

_"I'm going to free you!" He stated, rather loudly, at her. Taken in by surprise, she smiled at his newfound determination to help her._

_"Thank You America"_

Clutching the gates until the garden dispersed into gleams of light, Philippines felt her little companion tug her to look forward. In front of them was the light that both knew was the end of their journey together.

"Well, I guess this means goodbye…" Looking sadly at the child as though they were to part forever, the little girl shook her head and waved her hand downwards to signal for Philippines to crouch. Taking something from her hand, she placed it onto Philippines' hand; applied pressure on both her hands for a sort of assurance for the Filipina to keep. Philippines did not know what to say, but rather like the little girl expressed it. Embracing the girl in a warm comforting hug, Philippines walked up the lit stairs, seeing the dream already slowly obscuring from the mist. Looking back at her companion, she saw the girl's shadow behind the curtain of mist and saw her change into a pre-colonial beauty. As the mist slowly corrodes her form, Philippines heard her companion's voice after so long.

_"Thank you… never forget… Mal__æ_ya..." Her voice rings great nostalgia to Philippines as she remembers her now.

_"I never will… Thank you so much as well…" _Already at the last step towards the light passageway, she looked back until she sees the dream state dissipating into gleams of light before stepping into the light of being awaken.

_Urduja…_

Eyes open up in darkness once more, only this time, there was light from the stars peeking out from the window in the room she was in. Smiling to herself of her dream that she had, she began to remember what had transpired before her dream. Rather than blushing at the predicament, she smiled warmly at what had been between her and him. His chin resting on her hair, inhaling in her jasmine smell, while his arm draped just perfectly over her stomach and his bare chest upon her bare back. Lifting his hand slightly so that she wouldn't wake him up, she grabbed her lover's dress shirt as means to cover her "Birthday Suit". She couldn't help but sit at the edge and take her time noticing his features.

A calming face as he rests easy; his hair disheveled from what happened, hers including, with the prominent single strand of hair or as what Japan calls it an "ahoge"still prominent as ever. Kissing him on the cheek before leaving the room, he smiled happily but not enough to be woken up, as though he felt her kissing him in his dreams as well.

"Sweet Dreams" And with that, Philippines took her slippers and left for the door. Stepping out into her garden, she felt the cool November breeze tingle her skin as she remembers more and more of her dream.

_'Two sides of myself make one whole me, I must never forget that… nor should I let any more doubt and regret lead to my demise.'_ Smiling happily at that thought, she remembered what her little companion gave her. Looking at her left hand, it was still closed.

Extending her hand into the starry night, she opens it up to reveal the firefly within. As the firefly, like that of being free from its entrapment, dances around in the freedom of the garden until it flutters away into the night, with only its light as Philippines' basis on where it now seeks to go.

_'Even in the darkness, let none be afraid. There will always be stars even in the blackest of nights and hope even in the deepest of sorrows of memories. It is just that like stars, I can't always see them straight in front of me, but I know that the lights will guide me. Now, all it takes for me is to be a part of the lights. Like the firefly…_

_Let myself hope be my guide_

_Let myself regret no choices I make, and_

_Let myself be the light for others as well'_

And true to her word, after viewing the small gleam of the firefly's light dancing through the night… she knew that she will be alright with everything. And like the firefly's choice to keep moving forward…

She did not look back.

* * *

**Hey guys! I hope you guys enjoyed that despite my sucky writing skills!**

**OC!Philippines: Well... that was nice? but did you have to end the dream with me sleeping with a guy!? *blushes***

**Lanzy94: Oh c'mon! That was an awesome dream you had, and besides you know the guy. He has an 'ahoge'!**

**OC!Philippines: ... practically all Hetalia males have ahoges... including the vast OCs people make!**

**Lanzy94: ... but you slept with him and saw his face, shouldn't you know who he is... I don't...**

**OC!Philippines: But you're the WRITER! *flailing arms in exasperation***

**Lanzy94: Anyways! for more information on the references and inspirations I had for this fanfic, check out my dA link.**

**_Unconsciousness: *pulling OC!Philippines to the side* He's bluffing... I would know... and he's only saying that since he's too lazy to compile the references here..._**

***both looking at Lanzy94 making a sandwich*: 'He's onto something... I know he is!'**

**Lanzy94: I'm back! Oh by the way!...**

**The pairing by the way is BruneiXPhilippines and AmericaXPhilippines for Hetalia (Which I do not own, along with the OCBrunei I used my basis on) and not SpainXAmerica as what the 2 Characters was shown (*They were technically part of the story*)**

**Anyways thank you for reading and review if you want! Bye~**


End file.
